Just Give Me A Reason
by SiriusUntiltheVeryEnd
Summary: An assortment of Jily drabbles pieced together to make a love story.


**Authors Note:** I received so many prompts and they all seem to go to one long love story that I decided to make one long one-shot. Enjoy!

* * *

**Prompt:** _All the other boys in his year have all hit puberty, but James hasn't yet, and Sirius makes fun of him for being short and still having a high voice. Fast forward to beginning of the next school year, and James has hit puberty really REALLY hard. Basically, Lily and her friends, and everybody else reacting to James becoming a sexy beast. Bonus points if James uses all of Sirius short jokes on him cause James is taller now._

Revenge. _Oh was it sweet!_

Puberty had taken Remus first, then Sirius and then Peter. But by age 15 James was still short and had the highest voice of them all, much to his own dismay and irritation. Yes, he was still popular, athletic and could get a date to Hogsmede, but if the girl was tall than she was taller than him and Sirius for one, never let that go unnoticed.

But then he turned sixteen, and at first nothing happened. Through the months he slowly grew an inch or two, the real change came over the summer where he grew five inches in six weeks and his voice dropped, hard. James didn't just go through puberty, he owned it. Now he had the lowest voice of all the boys and was taller than everyone with the exception of Remus, who was the exact same height as he.

James waited for this for a very long time, but he didn't use any of that ounce of patience to stall in turning all of Sirius's jokes back on him. Who was scrawny shrimp now? Who could hold things out of the other boys reach now? James was victorious.

"Mum," James muttered strolling onto platform 9 3/4. "I will work on it. But I don't have control over Sirius."

"Yes you do. He listens to you. You just don't use it." Mrs. Potter sighed. "I just want you two to graduate and not get expelled for blowing up a toilet or something ludicrous like that."

"Mum, if we're going to get expelled it won't be for something as small as that." James teased.

She let out a note of exasperation, rubbing her temples. "You two will be the death of me."

"We'll be fine, mum." He kissed her cheek. "Take a breath."

"Fine. But do try and listen to Remus. That boy has a good head on his shoulders."

James snorted remembering the last prank that was Remus's idea. "Yeah, sure he does."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

James kissed her forehead and hugged her briefly before taking off in the direction Sirius had taken only moments before. He was craning his neck so much he didn't see a short ginger haired girl until he nearly ran her over.

"Sorry," He apologized, holding her arms to keep her from falling.

"Oh no it's…" Lily Evans began, but she looked up in confusion and blushed without an explanation. "It's uh…fine, Potter."

James grinned and released her, running a hand through his hair nervously. "Have you seen Sirius?"

"I er…I just saw him. He was chasing after Marlene." She replied taking a step back.

"Thanks." He winked at her, "See you around, Evans."

Lily turned and watched him walk away with a stunned expression. She'd stayed the same over the summer with the exception of a few extra freckles, what the hell had happened to him? Mary McDonald walked over with the same question on her face.

"Did he get hit with a fit spell? He even looks like he could gain muscle at that size."

"Yeah…"

"Lily?"

Lily jumped and shook her head, "Let's go. I was…daydreaming."

"Yeah, about James Potter." Mary taunted her, elbowing her.

"I was not! You know I don't like him."

"Tell that to your face."

* * *

**Prompt:** _Jily drabble where it's right before the holidays during 6th year, and Lily is just starting to warm up to James, like they're not dating yet, but she's just starting to warm up to the idea that there could be something there._

Lily was sitting at the Gryffindor table, with her hands hugging a steaming mug of hot chocolate with heart marshmallows bouncing at the surface. Her dark red hair was frizzy and kept back by a very thick black headband her mother had made for her the christmas before.

Nikki Thornby, one of Lily's closest and dearest friends was bent over the table in laughter across from her. "Lily..." She half-sobbed in laughter, "you look ridiculous."

"What?"

"What the hell is that sweater you are wearing?"

Lily looked down at the oversized green reindeer sweater she was wearing. "What's wrong with it?"

"You look like you were swallowed by that sweater, you just..you look like a little kid that wondered into your grandmothers closet and grabbed the ugliest thing you could find."

"You're kindness is so frank it's disarming." Lily retorted with an easy smile. "I feel like I might faint from your sweet words."

Nikki tipped over with laughter. Her dark hair spilled into her bright red face as she gripped onto the table for strength.

Lily blushed, snatched a bread roll and tossed it at her from across the table. "You are the one that's ridiculous! You're the one that's going to pieces over a sweater!"

Nikki didn't even respond, she was laughing too hard.

She couldn't help it, Lily began to laugh too. And she turned to Remus, who happened to be sitting next to her and asked, "Is my sweater bad?"

Remus's eyes lifted from his plate, "It's a Christmas sweater."

"Is it bad?"

"It's a Christmas sweater." He repeated and then he looked over at Nikki, who had finally calmed down but was wiping the tears away from her eyes. "Nikki, it's not that bad."

Nikki's face scrunched up. "Lupin...I just got it together. Don't make me laugh again."

Remus snorted and shook his head. "You look very ...festive Lily."

"I'm going to go look for Mary. I'm supposed to help her with her Secret Santa...Stop laughing!" Lily scolded her, before shaking her head and pushing herself up to her feet.

Along the tables were an odd mixture of sweats and holiday treats. It was the day before they would leave for christmas break and since none of them had any homework or work to do everyone was pretty laid back and relaxed. Lily passed Sirius on her way out and he caught her arm to stop her.

"Have you seen, James?"

Lily shook her head, "Not since breakfast."

"Hmm...He was supposed to..." Sirius looked at her and smiled, "Never mind. How are you?"

"Fine, just heading back to the common room. You excited for break?"

Sirius shrugged, "Yeah. I like going back home."

Lily looked at him strangely before she said, "Oh! You meant the Potter's...I was going to say..."

"No. No, I'd never refer to The Black's as my home."

"I figured."

"What about you? Any big plans?"

Lily said, "Not really. Same as usual."

"Well, if you're not busy, or even if you are, we might come kidnap you." Sirius said with a wide grin. "Break goes too long without seeing you, or Nikki, or that other blond girl-"

"Marlene?" Lily smirked, nudging him. "The one that you're always eyeing and flirting with but never do anything with. The one you have all your classes with and have known since birth."

Sirius said, "If she's the blonde friend of yours then yeah."

"Oh please. I'll see if I can get them to come over. I mean...if Potter doesn't mind."

"Now who's full of shit?" Sirius snickered. "You know he fancies you and you know he wouldn't mind having you around."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah yeah. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Lily pushed him on her way out and then strolled forward. She climbed up the staircase and was about to give the password when James Potter came strolling out of the common room. His glasses were on the tip of his nose and he wasn't looking forward, his eyes were straining to look at the map he had in his hands with what dim candle light lit the landing. She could have walked around him, he wasn't paying attention, but even though she didn't know the map in his hands would have told him she was there regardless, she still stepped in front of him purposefully and cleared her throat loudly.

His hazel eyes lifted, to her face and a smile popped onto his face with no effort. "Hey, Evans."

"Potter," She nodded, watching his eyes scale down to her sweater.

"Don't make fun of my sweater!" Lily insisted before he could say anything, she pointed at him sternly, a smile twitching on her face. "I don't want to hear a single joke out of you, Potter!"

James's eyebrows raised and he smirked. "What's wrong with your sweater?"

"I don't know, but apparently it's ugly and Nikki had a mini-seizure about it." Lily said sticking her thumbs into her trouser pockets. "I like it though."

"You look cute."

She blushed at how earnest he was. "Thanks."

"Lily Evans, accepting a compliment from me. Color me shocked." James teased her.

"I'm just admitting that you are right about something." Lily countered making a face at him. "You know Sirius is still acting like he doesn't know who Marlene is."

James said, "Good. That's the way I like it. He can go after any skirt he wants, but I don't want those two together."

Lily frowned. "Why not?"

"Because he'll break her heart and I'm not letting that happen. Besides she said something about like Gideon the other day."

"Huh…I could see that."

James ran his hand through his hair and ducked his head. "So um...excited to go back?"

"Home?...Eh. I'm just going Christmas shopping with my parents. Nothing special...although," She tilted back, "Sirius informed me that he's planning to kidnap me and Nikki."

"He's said something to that effect."

Lily bit the side of her lip. "I hope you don't mind."

James scoffed, "Mind? It was my idea. He gets bored easily and I can't keep up with him forever."

"I highly doubt that. You two are thick as thieves. I can't see either of you getting bored with each other around. You two could be locked in a room and you'd create your own language, build hats out of paper and create your own society."

"I'm not going to deny that or say we didn't found our own secret society after the ten hours in an Amsterdam hotel." James replied casually, "But we could use a bit of variety. We can only talk about the meaning of potatoes for so long."

Lily laughed incredulously, "…The meaning of potatoes?"

"A very late night conversation." He grinned.

"I see...well maybe I'll come over and see the infamous Potter mansion...If you guys can spare some time."

James's grin faded into a soft smile, his eyes warming. "Uh...Yeah...I think we can do that."

Lily tucked her lips back, looked away and shifted back and forth. "Well, um...I'll...see you around then, Potter."

"You know, since we are on good terms." He began lightly, "You have the great privilege of being informal and referring to me by my first name."

Chuckling, Lily shook her head, "I rather like the sound of your last name."

James blinked and recovered quickly. "It does have a ring to it."

Lily realized what she said, and what it sounded like and blushed furiously. "I mean...uh...I just..." Her hands went to her burning face, "I'll see you later, James."

She ran around him to the portrait and let out a huge breath swearing under her breath at her own stupidity. She didn't mean that! She meant that she'd rather call him by his last name, but she just blurted out the wrong thing. Lily uttered the password, but shyly looked behind her, just in time to catch him going down the staircase smiling to himself. Silently she watched him go until he disappeared from her view, his smile bringing one to her own face so easily it was mad.

Over the past few months she'd realized she didn't dislike him half as much as she claimed to, but she never imagined it would be like this. Like she could actually picture spending time with him without any pretense or actually maybe something more. Lily ducked into the Gryffindor common room, her mind whirling with too many thoughts for her to properly process.

* * *

**_Prompt:_**_ Lily finding out James is an Animagus and being mad at him for endangering himself whilst he laughs at the fact that she looks 'endearing' when she's mad._

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?!" Lily shrieked, looking madly at James, her hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea what could have gone wrong? ARE YOU JUST COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY STUPID?!"

James crossed his arms, and listened to her with a bemused expression.

"You could have stayed stuck half a deer! I've read that it can happen to wizards who dabble with transfiguration!"

"I was sitting in class, right behind you mind you, when you did your report on that."

Lily sighed warily, "You could have hurt yourself."

"Yes, but I didn't." James pointed out.

"It's...it's so incredibly dangerous."

"I showed you because you asked." James responded calmly.

Lily said, "I know...and I appreciate that you trust me, but ...what were you three thinking?!"

James couldn't help it; a brief laugh escaped his lips.

"Don't laugh! I'm being serious!"

"I'm sorry!" He raised his hands sheepishly, fighting to control himself. "You just look...endearing when you're mad...Half the time I tried to get you mad to see that look on your face."

Lily let out a note of exasperation. "What's wrong with you?!"

"A lot."

She let out the heavy sigh and ran her hands over her face. "I don't even know what to say to you."

"How about, you won't tell anyone."

"Of course I won't, you dolt." Lily rolled her eyes. "But just...don't be stupid. Alright? Promise me."

James crossed his heart. "I will do my best."

"I better get back. My dad will be thinking you kidnapped me." Lily said, grabbing her coat, tossing it on and giving him a look.

"I wouldn't kidnap you. I'd convince you to come with me." James said, strolling forward with a twinkle in his eye. "There's a difference."

Lily shook her head at him in amusement, before spreading her arms to hug him. "You are ridiculous and you worry me."

He scooped her up and spun her around. holding her tighter when she let out a squeak of excitement. Her arms clamped onto him wildly, her face buried in his shoulder. "JAMES!"

He put her down, and grinned at the look on her face. "I thought I'd hug you properly."

"You can't do anything like normal people, can you?"

"What's the fun in that?" James said.

Lily smiled, and said, "I have to get home. Happy Easter, Potter."

"You too, Evans."

* * *

**Prompt:** _James wakes up in the morning by Lily's angry dad after sneaking to her house in the middle of the night._

Lily tried not to care, but she did. She loved getting his letters; she loved bickering with him, constantly trying one up him with her witty remarks. It was a small thing that made her endlessly boring days seem more interesting. And even when Nikki visited, Marlene, Alice or Remus would write her it wasn't as exciting. She began to anticipate them and actively react when they came. With her mother's health declining and her father busy at work, she had begun to feel lonely like she used to when she'd come home from school and Petunia would ignore her, forcing Lily to spend the entire summer break alone. But James...there was just something about him. Like when he told a story, the story normally itself was entertaining, but the way he would tell it, with dramatic gestures, vivid descriptions and changing his voice to do imitations just made even the dullest story come alive and keep her completely captivated.

It may not have been much, but it was enough to take away from her momentary depression and focus on something else. And now he hadn't written in six days. It wasn't like him. Normally he sent one every other day with some exceptions, and as she heard her mother getting up in the middle of the night sick, she cringed and wished more than anything he were just there with her. If James was good at anything it was talking, words were his thing, and she could use a few then.

Just as she tip toed to the edge of her doorway, flinching at the sound of her mother returning to her bed. She heard a sound coming from outside her window. Frowning, she snatched her wand off her bedside table, and gulped. She knew enough spells to ward off any intruder, but it was 2:30 in the morning and her mind wasn't quite thinking logically.

She nearly crawled out of her skin in fear when she saw a man was hovering outside her window, but then her eyes adjusted and she saw it wasn't a man at all, it was James. His hand reached out and he knocked on the window, lightly enough to sound through the room but not echo through the entire house. Lily rushed to the window, her nightgown swaying as she pushed up the window and stared at him in exasperation.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded.

He raised the hand that wasn't locked on her roof in innocence. "I wanted to come see you. Sorry about the hour."

"Or the approach?" Lily mumbled eyeing him. "Why couldn't you have sent an owl?"

James shrugged.

"Jesus..." Lily glanced at him, "Okay, come on," She grabbed his arms and tugged him inside. "You are absolutely mad."

"You've told me that before actually." James said quietly as he stumbled into her room.

Lily said, "Well it doesn't seem to stick that long so I thought it could use repeating...what?"

"Nothing," He said, his eyes scanning her room with interest. "Just looking."

"Sorry...I didn't clean up...I-"

James snorted and held up a hand, "I come to your house in the middle of the night, unannounced and uninvited. I don't think you have to clean up for me, Evans."

"Well," She muttered sheepishly. "What are you doing here?...You haven't exactly been talking to me."

"I've had a bit of a fiasco with Pad- I mean Sirius." James clarified. "So I've had my hands full dealing with that."

Lily joked. "What did he get a girl pregnant?"

James winced.

"No he didn't!" Lily breathed in horror.

"No, but he thought he did and he had a series of meltdowns over it. It was a mess." James admitted. "I'd like to think he learned from it, but he was talking to a girl at the pub a day later, so that's him for you."

Lily chuckled, "I can't even deal with him sometimes. He's like an overgrown puppy."

"Interesting choice of words." James said walking around her room, and eyeing the stack of closet that seemed to miss her laundry bin. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing, really." Lily shrugged, "I tried to read a book Remus was raving about, but I couldn't get into it."

"Was it the one with the moody guy who kills his girlfriends husband?" James questioned.

Lily said, "Yeah! I really didn't like it."

"Me neither, he tried to get me to read it. If you ask me, Remus's relating a little too much to the main guy..." James sat on the edge of Lily's bed, the heels of his shoes. We should set him up with a girl or boy...whatever lightens him up."

"I've tried. He just gives me this disgruntled look like I'm asking him to give his sworn enemy a kidney." Lily said throwing up her hands.

James nodded, "True. He does that to us too."

"Sometimes, I worry about him." Lily admitted, sitting down next to him, her hands clasped together.

"Me too."

Their eyes flickered through the darkness at each other, and she bumped her shoulder into his making him smile. James put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him wordlessly. The breeze of summer air came through the crack between the window and the window cill. And for a minute they were just seventeen. She rested her head on his chest, ignoring the quickening speed of her heart. James was trying to hide his surprise. He'd put his arm around her on an impulse, he never thought she'd move to lean against him. He thought she'd push him and laugh at the gesture. The grin on his face was so big, his cheeks ached.

Down the hall, Lily heard her parents bedroom door open and close and she winced, her eyes straining to fight off tears. James pulled away, a look of confusion on his face. "Who is that?...They're really sick."

Lily couldn't answer, because the tears she'd been ignoring and avoiding for months built up until she had a throbbing headache from trying to fight them back.

"Ev-" He began, before turning to look at her, his face dropping his voice became incredibly gentle. "..what's wrong?"

"It's...it's my mum." Lily replied, "She's...she's sick."

James understood by her tone that it wasn't fixable. "Oh..."

"Yeah," He said, her voice scratchy.

"Lily," James whispered, "Are you okay?"

She tried to nod, but she began to quiver, her lips closed, and her gaze dropped. Then she slowly began to shake her head.

He hesitantly brought her into his arms, and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."

Lily's fingers dug into the fabric of his thin shirt, and she rested her face against his chest. She couldn't hold back, James's arms felt so good around her. She didn't have to act like this wasn't happening or pretend she didn't see it. He wouldn't change the subject, leave or stop listening to her. He was there. Really, sincerely there. Rocking her, holding her, not say a word.

"Thank you," She mumbled, hugging him back. "I'm glad you're here, James."

James smiled and rubbed her back, his fingers swaying back and forth until Lily inhaled and moved back.

Her eyes were red and puffy, "You're not that bad, you know."

"I think that is the nicest thing you've ever said to me." He teased, cupping her face lovingly.

Lily sniffled and laughed. "Well I do my best."

"Do you want to talk about it?..." James said gesturing to the door. "Because we can."

"Not really...but..." She looked at him tentatively and gradually leaned forward.

James gulped, "what are you doing?"

"I don't know." Lily mumbled, "I'm not really thinking anymore."

"Oh..."

She was so close to him, that her breath warmed the tip of his chin and the sleeve of her nightgown was touching his shirt. James shifted towards her and took the spare inch that was between them. His lips were dry and smaller than she had imagined, but she found that the feeling that came with from it was powerful enough to overcompensate for any disappointment that could have caused. After a few moments, they broke a part and she gasped, her eyes electrified.

"You know," He said nervously, "I didn't come here for that."

Lily impulsively moved forward and kissed him, this time putting more weight into it and grabbing that back of his neck for support. When she shifted back she said, "It's okay. I don't mind."

"Well," James flushed. "That's good."

"You're blushing."

He chuckled and lowered his face to put it on her shoulder. "No, I'm not."

She giggled and ran her hands through his hair like she'd always wanted to. Her fingers threaded through it and found it had absolutely no product in it. It was just genuinely messy, just like he was.

"I should probably let you get back to sleep." James sighed regretfully, eyeing her flower clock in the corner of her room. "But what are you doing friday?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Wrong," James informed her. "You are coming over and Sirius and I will teach you how to fly."

Lily said. "I already know how to fly."

"You know how to sit on a broom." James said, "You had Remus teach you. You can do better."

"Oh?" She chuckled. "I'm gonna tell him you said that." Lily said, following him as he rose to head to her window.

"Go right ahead." James grinned, "It's been a while since he's thrown a punch my way. A bit of exercise would be for him."

Lily nodded, "I'm sure if I repeated that he wouldn't mind a few rounds in the ring with you."

"He's too slow anyway." James said lifting

"James?" She said boldly, catching him before he could scale down her roof. "Do you have any reason you have to get home?"

He blinked, his hands still gripping her window cill. "No."

"Do you…do you want to stay?" She said.

"You sure?"

Lily nodded.

A surprised expression popped onto his face and his shoulders shrugged. "Er…sure."

He climbed back up the house skillfully, despite his obvious inexperience with it. James crawled back inside and slipped off his shoes.

With a teasing expression on his lips he said, "So are you taking the floor?"

She pushed his shoulder and rolled her eyes. "You're such a loser, Potter."

"It keeps you coming back, Evans." He countered.

Lily shook her head at his arrogance and got into her bed. "You get anywhere with replies like that?"

"See," He said with a short laugh, "I have a response, but I have a feeling you'd slap me. So I'm going to withdrawal from this battle."

"Wise decision." Lily said as he tugged off his shirt and his socks to drop into her bed.

"You have such a girl bed." He mumbled. "It smells like flowers and soap."

She looked at him, trying to keep her eyes on his eyes and not his exposed torso. "What does yours smell like?"

"Laundry detergent. Just neutral."

She yawned. "We are expected to smell good."

"So are guys." He said, "Why do you think cologne is so expensive?"

"Is it?...I don't have brothers I never knew that it was."

James nodded, his arm tucked back behind his neck. "I mean…I'm sure perfume is too. But guys always work to smell good."

An anxiety crept up on her and she blatantly ignored it. "Well you do."

"Thanks," He smiled, "I'll tell Sirius you said that. I knicked his cologne."

Lily laid back on her pillow and said, "You two are almost disgustingly close."

"Are you jealous of me?" James said nudging her. "You want to spend 24/7 with Hogwarts most eligible?"

"Is that what he calls himself?" Lily cackled. "I feel like he does."

James snickered, "I'm sure he does."

Lily shyly glanced over at him and giggled to herself, before she feigned falling onto his chest, "Oh oops! Oh no! I've fallen!"

He couldn't even handle it; one of his arms went around her while the other went to cover the laugh he was trying to bite back. "I can't believe you just did that."

"I'm very clumsy." She said, sniffling a giggle.

"You're adorable, Evans."

Her hands curled up just above his belly button while her head rested on his pale chest. His fingers grasped her waist more firmly and a smile kept flickering onto his face. When he decided to stop by to see if she was awake, this was not what he was picturing. He hoped of course, but he'd learned long ago to lower his expectations when it came to Lily Evans, but she had initiated all of this. When he saw she was tired, he politely made his exit, when they kissed she had leaned most of the way in, he just finished it and when they laid down, she was the one that laid on him. James said nothing to encourage or discourage her to do so. She did all of this because she wanted to. No bets, or friends pushing her into it, just earnest interest.

He sighed contently and his free hand swept her red hair back off her face. She snuggled closer to him and smiled against him. James continued until he felt her breaths slow and then he grabbed his glasses, placed them on nightstand, pulling Lily closer to him and fell asleep.

Lily awoke first. She normally didn't get a lot of sleep, she had a hard time falling asleep and an even harder time falling asleep since her mother got been diagnosed. But hearing James's heartbeat thumping consistently and dependably fixed that.

She slipped out from under him, and groggily went into the bathroom she used to share with her older sister. She peed, brushed her teeth, and briefly washed her face, before she slumped back to her room. Her mother waved from down the hallway, and said good morning. Lily nodded back in return, her eyes still only half open and went into her room.

She had only been awake a few moments; she was half tempted just to kiss him awake. They hadn't talked about the fact that they had kissed for the first time the night before, but for some reason that didn't feel as weird as it should have. She should have been panicking and unsure of what to say, do or how she felt, but though she used to feel pressured in this situation, she never felt pressured with James. How many seventeen-year-old boys would kiss a girl they fancied and not try for more? How many were perfectly happy just holding that girl for the entire night? None, Lily was convinced.

James's face was smashed into her flower-designed pillow and it made him look so adorable. His face was pale like the rest of him, but he had rosy cheeks like he'd been out in the snow building a snowman, despite the fact that it was near the end of July. And that hair, the hair she had grown to love so tenderly, was sticking up in the back and all of the place in the front. It was quite priceless that this was the boy that was Quidditch Captain and tied for most popular boy of Hogwarts. He looked so harmless, and …sweet.

Lily carefully lowered herself back down onto the bed, and tried to get back into the position she had been in, but her little movement stirred him awake.

"Hmm," He mumbled his eyes squinting, and his hand searching the bedside table for his glasses. Dropping them onto the bridge of his nose, he nudged them up with his knuckle. "Hi," James said groggily.

Lily beamed. "Hey."

Before either of them could say another word, Mr. Evans unexpectedly opened her door. "Hey, Lil-" His bright green eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in rage. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

They froze, for the most horrifying moment; they halted and just stared blankly at Mr. Evans.

"WELL?!" Mr. Evans shouted, taking two very aggressive steps forward. "WHAT IS GOING HERE?!"

James jumped so violently; he fell right off her bed. "Uh…Sorry…Hi…Mr. Evans…Er… Sir."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY DAUGHTERS BED?"

"It, um," James stammered holding up his hands. "Not what it looks like at all! We didn't…! I didn't!"

"WHAT _DID_ YOU DO?!"

Lily hopped up and leapt between James and her father. "Dad, he didn't do anything! I SWEAR!"

"Lily, MOVE." Her father insisted and James grabbed his shoes and tried to grab his shirt.

"James," Lily said quickly, "Get out of here!"

James rose to his feet, his hands in the air. "Lily, it's okay, you can move."

"Oh no, it's not." Her arms fanned out to block her father. "Dad, listen to me. I'm not moving. He didn't do anything. Calm down. We were just sleeping."

"Like hell you were!"

"James, go!" Lily shouted, "Apparate now!"

James said, "But-"

"_I mean it!_"

He frowned and apparated away just as Mr. Evans managed to safely shift Lily out of the way while reaching to take a swing at James.

It took a half hour to calm her father down and another half hour to convince him that nothing had happened. Once Lily's mother had assured her father that Lily would never do such a thing, let alone under their roof. Then Lily sent James a letter apologizing for the morning and telling him she understood if he wanted to wait a while before he came back over and wouldn't ask him to stay the night again. She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable and she felt awful as the whole thing was her fault. Her first instinct should have been to get him out of there in the morning, but then again she really shouldn't have asked him to stay at all. When he didn't reply right away Lily grew concerned. She feared he wouldn't talk to her again and even thought of going to his house to apologize, but when she didn't receive anything by nightfall she gave up.

Clearly, it was just not meant to be. Maybe they had gone too far, and maybe this was just some big mystical way of the universe telling them they weren't supposed to be together and they were better suited as friends.

James came back that night, the same way he had the night before and came nearly every night for the rest of the summer.

* * *

**Prompt:** _James asking Lily out_

It was the second week of school, and James was standing in the coridoor around the corner from the Great Hall, eyeing the prefect schedule Lily had handed him only moments before. Sirius came over to him and with a confused look on his face, he asked. "Mate, what's the deal with you and Evans?"

"What do you mean?" James asked not looking up from the sheet of parchment.

"I mean, you got your letter and you ran over to her house to tell her. And then you came back with her lipstick on you. You two are always sitting next to each other and…just …stuff."

"We fancy each other. Why?"

"I think Davies fancies her too and I know this because I just witnessed him telling her so and then proceeding to ask her out. She said she was involved with someone but started stammering when he asked what exactly it was that she was involved with."

James let out a short laugh and said, "How awkward."

"So, what I'm saying is. I'm all for the whole no-labeling thing. Hell," Sirius said dusting his own shoulder off, "I invited it...But I think your case might be different."

"Right," James nodded promptly, "I'll be right back."

He went into the Great Hall, strutting proudly and confidently, but not arrogantly. James was fairly sure he knew the answer to the question he was going to ask, but he wasn't going to be a jerk about it. He'd been planning on asking her properly eventually, but opportunity never seemed to present itself, or perhaps it was really that he didn't find a good enough way to do it. Regardless of which reason, he went over to where she sat. Her face was buried in her hands, and Nikki was sympathetically rubbing her back as Mary McDonald was so obviously fighting the urge to snicker across from them. James flushed, at the thought of what he was about to ask, but he sucked in a breath and kneeled down to be at her head level.

"Lily?"

She groaned, "I'm so embarrassed."

"Why?" James questioned. "I'm sure he'll understand when he realizes you're dating me."

Her head lifted. "I am?"

"Well I hadn't gotten around to asking you, which," He paused to run a hand through his hair, "Is admittedly my fault, but I didn't want to rush you."

Lily's eyes fixed on him. "So what are you saying?"

"Do you…well…will you be my girlfriend?" He asked in a low voice, not noticing or caring that everyone around them was watching and listening in.

"We haven't even gone out on a date." She reasoned sheepishly, a beam already growing on her face.

James leaned forward with a side smirk, "Well, what are you doing this weekend?"

"Nothing."

"Wrong," He said warmly, "You're going out with me."

Lily blushed, and tucked her lips back. "Well, I guess I have plans then."

"I'll see you later," He told her, before impulsively pecking her on the lips and walking away.

Lily watched him walk away, her eyes full and wide.

On the other side of the table, Peter held out his hand and Remus reluctantly handed over a few knuts.

* * *

**Prompt:**_ James gets into a fight and Lily takes care of him._

Angrily, he leaned back against the headboard of his bed, his unshaven chin raised. Lily sat on the bed beside him with a concerned look on her face.

"I know you think it was stupid, but I wasn't going to just stand there." James said stubbornly, as Lily put some ice to the side of his face.

"I never expected you to, but yes, it was stupid." Lily responded evenly.

He pressed his hand to hers. "I'm sorry." James said in an undertone. "I know I should be more responsible."

"I just..." Her face bent down, her hair falling forward. "I just don't want to be the HeadGirl that has to correct or chase the HeadBoy. If you mess up, people expect me to fix you. I don't want to do that." Lily regarded him gently. "I know your heart was in the right place, but violence isn't always the answer."

"I know," He groaned, "I just...I need to learn to control it."

"You know how to control it." She insisted, "Your anger just got the better of you. You've changed a lot, James. It just is going to take some time and practice before you have a handle on it."

James kissed her hand fiercely, "Why do you believe in me so much?"

"Because, I know you are deserving of it." Lily sighed. "Now promise me, you'll just do what you can to think before acting."

"I'll think first." He vowed.

"Good." She smiled. "Though you do look rather dashing with a bruised cheek."

James grinned, "Oh I do?"

"Yes," Lily snorted, "Doesn't mean I'm not still mad, though."

James nodded. "I figured."

"Just relax, okay?"

He nodded again, this time, his eyes closing. "Yes, Lily."

* * *

**Prompt**: _jily; lily telling James she loves him_

Lily jumped on Sirius's back, nearly knocking him all the way over. "SURPRISE ATTACK!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Sirius half-laughed, as his arms moved to catch her. "What are you doing Lily?"

"Carry me," Lily instructed resisting all of her dead weight on Sirius.

"Isn't that what you have a boyfriend for?" Sirius replied dryly, readjusting her position so he could hold her.

Lily shrugged. "You could use the work out, and he's inside doing God knows what with Remus."

"You think he's going to leave you for Remus?" Sirius suggested in a somber tone as he stepped through the thick blankets of snow. "I do hear he has some fetching gams."

She cackled at that, "Yes I think my boyfriend is going to fall over himself for that scrawny bod."

Sirius said, "Ooh, here they come…I have any idea, Lilybean. What do you say we team up and pelt them with snow balls?"

"Absolutely," She gasped in excitement, falling off Sirius's back. "Where's Peter? We don't want him to join their team!"

"I like where your heads at," Sirius said, taking out the map and tapping it once. "AH! He's up in the boys dormitory by himself with…merlin…Sydney Taylor…"

Lily looked over, tugging down her wool hat to cover her reddening ears. "Really?"

"Yes…We will deal with that later, let's focus." He put the map away and wrapped his arm around Lily like they were in a group huddle. "You go for Remus, then zig zag. Understood?"

She nodded, rubbing her gloves together in preparation. "What are you going to do?"

"What I always do," He smirked, looking towards the castle's entrance. "I'm going to win."

Lily did as she was instructed, but the minute her and Sirius began their attack, Remus and James made mad dashes for the trees recovered far too quickly. They pelted them back with snow and Sirius and Lily tried to fight back but before they could, James sprinted over and knocked Lily clear over.

"Gotcha!" James proclaimed, locking Lily down. "Thought you could best me, huh?"

"Sorry," Sirius feigned a wince, "Every man for themselves, Lil." He declared ducking behind a tree to block Remus's pursuits.

Lily giggled, "It was Sirius's idea."

"Of course it was." James rolled his eyes. "But why were you so eager to go along with it?" He kissed her repeatedly, "Huh? Huh?!"

She rolled to her side to escape him, but she couldn't.

Eventually he stopped, cupping her face he brushed her lips with his own, and rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Dating me."

She shook her head, a wide smile spread across her face. "You don't have to thank me."

"I think I do."

"I do it, because I love you." She said.

He stilled, his hazel eyes looked captivated with her. "What…" He said in the smallest voice. "What did you say?"

"I…" She began timidly, her green eyes staring up at him shyly. "I…Um…well, the thing is…I …I love you."

James let out a breath and then said, "I love you too."

* * *

**_Prompt:_**_ Jily first time_

Lily hugged him tightly, and with her eyes completely closed she kissed the break in his chest. And James sucked in a harsh breath.

"Don't do that." He said with a shaky laugh.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm lying in your dorm room, you are half naked and I'm shirtless. I'm doing my best to be good, but Lily. I'm only human."

Lily looked at him in confusion. "I just kissed you."

"Not on the lips."

He cocked an eyebrow, "And that did something to you?"

"Of course it did. My girlfriend kissed a part of my skin that is normally covered by clothes." James explained with a lazy smile.

"Oh so," She began coyly, watching him as she dropped down to lightly kiss his chest again. "This does something?"

He shivered, and pressed his lips together. "Yep."

"Does it bother you if it does something?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Uh..no." James said, "I just…I've never…and I figured you'd want to wait."

Lily bit the side of her lip. "You haven't…?"

"No…I haven't."

Lily's gaze softened, and she said, "I haven't either."

"Do you…I mean, do you want to wait?"

"What are we waiting for…exactly?" Lily questioned in an undertone. "I love you, you love me…I want to…I think you do too-"

James sat up so quickly Lily had to flatten herself against the wall to avoid getting injured. He grasped her face and said very clearly. "Lily, I've been wanting this since I was 12…I just…I want to make sure you won't regret it."

"James," She sighed softly, "I love you. Why would I regret anything that had to do with that?"

"I don't know…Marlene said a lot of girls regret their first times." He said with a shrug.

Lily said, "Yeah, but I'm not any of them…I've never had sex because I haven't. I wasn't waiting for the right guy to come along or for marriage. It just never happened. There's no rhyme or reason to it really...But right now, I want to. I trust you, I love you and if you want to…I.." She ducked her head, "I don't really see any reason why we shouldn't."

He searched her eyes for any doubt or hesitation and he found none. "Well then, me neither."

"Okay…" He breathed heavily, before grinning, "Okay."

He leaned into her and kissed her gently, the kiss lingering so long she could swear it swelled into the hollow of her bones. First she slipped off her shirt, and then unhooked her bra while her hands went over the muscles in his shoulders. Next she kicked off her pajama shorts and was left only in her knickers. Her kisses became hurried as he climbed onto her and deepened the kiss. He'd kissed her passionately before, but never at this pace. If they went for a quick snog, he'd have one hand on her bum and his tongue halfway down her throat. But this slow pace was maddening, her skin was burning as body arched against his urgently. When he broke away, he began to kiss down the crook of her neck, his hands gliding up her thighs at an excoriating speed. Lily let out a low moan and she could feel the affect it had on him, which only intensified her reaction.

"Are you sure about this?" James asked unevenly, kneeling away from her.

She nodded, between breaths, her eyes scaling down him longingly.

He reached down to undo his belt, but she slapped his hand away, and sat up. "I want to do it."

James's hands raised immediately, and he watched as she fumbled with the leather holding his trousers to his narrow hips. Her hands trembled as they struggled to undo his belt, the belt kept getting caught on the loops of his trousers, but determinedly her fingers worked until it was all the way off. She dropped it to the floor, unbuttoned his pants and paused.

Then, tentatively she slipped down his pants and then his boxers. "…Will it hurt?"

"It will feel a little uncomfortable I think, but…if at any point you need me to stop just say so, or slow down, or whatever you need." James said sincerely.

"Okay," Lily nodded anxiously, "...Let's do this."


End file.
